Australia’s Government owned ABC
News, October 30/31, 2022, reports:
"The
United States is preparing to deploy up to six nuclear-capable B-52 bombers to
northern Australia, a provocative move experts say is aimed squarely at China.
An
investigation by [ABC TV Program] Four Corners can reveal Washington is planning to build
dedicated facilities for the giant aircraft at Tindal air base [at Katherine, 320 km southeast] of Darwin.
The US
has drawn up detailed plans for what it calls a "squadron operations
facility" for use during the Northern Territory dry season, an adjoining
maintenance centre and a parking area for "six B-52s".
See the full ABC report here.
Pete Comment
This more than symbolic story comes within limits that:
- the necessary B-52 parking area at Tindal might only be completed by 2026
and
- Tindal might only be fully B-52 usable for
5 months a year, around May to September, during the tropical area's "Dry Season".
US bombers have been visiting
Australia’s Northern Territory for years. See Submarine Matters’ January 2019 article "US B-2, B-52 and B-1 Bombers
Exercising in Australia".
Still the ABC report represents
progress in US support for Australia. B-52s can carry conventional and nuclear
weapons and could store them at Tindal during periods of high tension with
China.
The ABC report could be a curtain raiser for a possible Australian interest in purchasing nuclear-capable US B-21 stealth bombers, for delivery to Aus by 2030 or so.
In that regard tomorrow (November 1, 2022) Australia’s Defence Strategic Review might be presenting a probably ambiguous “Interim Big Picture Report”.
That Review may be more explicit on February 1, 2023, when it presents its “Final Report” with Recommendations.
5 comments:
Hi Pete
Unrelated, but it seems Japan is planning to build an experimental vessel for purposes of technology demonstration in the field of submarine-launched long range missiles.
https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/politics/defense-security/20221030-67735/
It seems they are talking about the Type-12 (or one of its upcoming long-range 1,000-km variants) but it should be pretty obvious that a launcher module capable of storing & launching those missiles should also be capable of so much more.
Cheers
Various Defence and ASPI comments have hinted at B21s for months. I suspect this was ever since they realised there were no quick solutions for UK or US designed SSNs. B21s under AUKUS would help justify the program after the original purpose failed.
B21s would be a high cost capability allowing nuclear strike options. Yet we are already covered under the US nuclear umbrella (US Extended Nuclear Deterrence Security guarantees). So why spend a lot more duplicating that?
My concern is that B21s still do not solve Australia’s submarine problem. If the Collins Class are not replaced within a suitable timeframe and a “gap” occurs, we will lose the sailors and maintenance people at a time of low unemployment when skilled people will easily get work elsewhere. Developing the skills to maintain and operate subs - SSK or SSN - is a hard won capability that takes decades to develop and not all navies have succeeded at it. Submarines can still perform many missions strike aircraft cannot, in all months of the year.
We seem to be focusing our long term defence decisions on a very narrow range of scenarios with China. I support the US alliance. But what if, 20 years from now, Australia had a conflict with another regional power other than China where the USA did not wish to be involved? It happened to the UK with the Falklands. Submarines then might be very valuable.
Hi Gessler @Nov 1, 2022, 12:54:00 AM
I agree that Japan talking a Experimental prototype SSG for Type 12 or Tomahawk SLCMs is a subtle signal that Japan is thinking of a response to the China, NK and even Russian threats. Competition with the SK "frenemy's" KSS-III SSB would also come into it.
Short of Russia exploding a special weapon over Ukraine, I'll write about this Japan "Experimental Vessel" (integrating Wispy's and Anon's own comments) tomorrow Thurs Nov 3.
Regards Pete
Thanks Anonymous @Nov 1, 2022, 9:10:00 AM
I've turned your apt, timely comments into article "Aus B-21s, SSKs & SSNs an Integrated Complex Issue" of November 2, 2022
at https://gentleseas.blogspot.com/2022/11/aus-b-21s-ssks-ssns-integrated-complex.html
Regards Pete
Hi again Gessler @Nov 1, 2022, 12:54:00 AM
I've turned your comment into article "Japan Considering SSG/SSB Subs in the Future"
of November 3, 2022
at https://gentleseas.blogspot.com/2022/11/japan-considering-ssgssb-subs-in-future.html
Regards Pet
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